R. L. Bhatia

Raghunandan Lal Bhatia
Bhatia in 2005
23rdGovernor of Bihar
In office 10 July 2008 – 28 June 2009
Chief Minister	Nitish Kumar
Preceded by	R. S. Gavai
Succeeded by	Devanand Konwar
16thGovernor of Kerala
In office 23 June 2004 – 10 July 2008
Chief Minister	A. K. Antony Oommen Chandy V. S. Achuthanandan
Preceded by	T. N. Chaturvedi (Additional Charge)
Succeeded by	R. S. Gavai
Personal details
Born	(1920-07-03)3 July 1920 Amritsar,Punjab,British India
Died	14 May 2021(2021-05-14)(aged 100) Amritsar,Punjab, India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Parent(s)	Arooramal Bhatia, Lal Devi Bhatia
Alma mater	University of the Punjab

Raghunandan Lal Bhatia(3 July 1920 – 14 May 2021)was an Indian politician. He was theGovernor of Keralafrom 23 June 2004 to 10 July 2008, and was theGovernor of Biharfrom 10 July 2008 to 28 June 2009. He signed theBorder Peace and Tranquility Agreementwith China on behalf of theRepublic of India.

Biography

Bhatia was born to Arooramal Bhatia and Lal Devi Bhatia, inAmritsar,Punjabon 3 July 1920.He graduated from theUniversity of the PunjabinLahore,and received an LLB. After this, he served as a member of the governing body ofAmritsarfor nine years.

Bhatia was first elected to theLok Sabhain 1972, from theAmritsar Lok Sabha constituency.He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha from the same constituency at the 1980, 1985, 1992, 1996 and 1999 elections as a member of theIndian National Congress.During this time, he held several other posts as well. He was a member of the executive committee of Congress parliamentary party from 1975 to 1977, the Minister of State for External Affairs in the Government of India from July 1992 until 1993, the Chairman of the Committee of petitions in Lok Sabha in 1983, the President of thePunjab Pradesh Congress Committee1982 through 1984, the General Secretary of AICC in 1991, and also a member of the select committee constituted in 1992 for the amendment of the constitution.

During his time in theLok Sabha,Bhatia represented India as a delegate to theUnited Nations,and participated as a delegate in the7th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movementheld in Delhi, in March 1983, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting inNew Delhiin November 1983, the SixthSAARCsummit in Colombo in 1991, and the 5th meeting of coordinating countries of the action programme for economic cooperation of non-aligned countries held inDelhiin 1986.

Bhatia was also a member of the India Council for Cultural Relations from 1983 to 1984. He was chairman of the India Bulgaria Friendship Society from 1983 to 1990, and theIndo-GDR Friendship Association1983 to 1990. He was also co-chairman of the All India Peace & Solidarity organization from 1981 to 1983, and the Vice President ofFriends of Soviet Unionfrom 1983 to 1984.

Following the death ofSikander Bakhtin 2004, Bhatia became theGovernor of Kerala.After spending four years in that post, Bhatia was appointed as theGovernor of Biharon 26 June 2008, switching posts with Bihar GovernorR. S. Gavai.He was sworn in on 10 July 2008.He left office in 2009, and led a private life.

Bhatia died from COVID-19 in 2021.